What does lettres in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word lettres in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use lettres in French.

The word lettres in French means letter, letter, letter, letter, humanities, letters, the arts, literature, well-read, well read, well-read person, literate, to the letter, to the letter, letter card, lettercard, in reply to your letter, in response to your letter, the spirit and the letter of the law, letter with confirmation of receipt, letter with acknowledgement of receipt, capital letter, circular, business letter, cover letter, love letter, block letter, newsletter, scathing letter, letter of intent, comfort letter, letter of introduction, letter of invitation, lettre de cachet, guidelines, written guidelines, bill of exchange, confirmation letter, letter of credit, engagement letter, cover letter, reference, reminder letter, break-up letter, air waybill, encyclical letter, capital letter, upper-case letter, clearly printed letter, open letter, letter bomb, registered letter, registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, standard letter, sample letter, cheque-letter, transfer, postal order, money order, postal money order, subject of a letter, go off without a hitch, letter scale, postal scale, take at face value, go unheeded, further to your letter of + [date], follow to the letter, carry out to the letter, type a letter. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word lettres

letter

nom féminin (alphabet : caractère) (of alphabet)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il y a 26 lettres dans notre alphabet.
There are twenty-six letters in our alphabet.

letter

nom féminin (caractère)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il y a les lettres minuscules et les lettres majuscules.
There are lower-case letters and upper-case letters.

letter

nom féminin (message écrit) (correspondence)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Nous avons reçu une lettre des enfants.
We've received a letter from the children.

letter

nom féminin (sens strict de [qch]) (figurative)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il faut respecter la lettre de la loi.
The letter of the law must be respected.

humanities

nom féminin pluriel (études littéraires) (equivalent)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Ma fille étudie les lettres à la Sorbonne.
My daughter is studying humanities at the Sorbonne.

letters, the arts

nom féminin pluriel (littérature, culture)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")
Mon beau-père est un homme de lettres.
My father-in-law is a man of letters.

literature

nom féminin pluriel (œuvres littéraires) (uncountable)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Paul étudie les lettres.
Paul studies literature.

well-read, well read

adjectif (cultivé)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
Il sait beaucoup de choses, c'est quelqu'un de lettré.
He knows a lot of stuff; he's well read.

well-read person

(érudit)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Tous ces philosophes sont des lettrés.

literate

adjectif (Belgique (qui sait lire et écrire)

(adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house.")
La plupart des enfants belges sont lettrés.
Most Belgian children are literate.

to the letter

locution adverbiale (scrupuleusement, littéralement) (figurative)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

to the letter

locution adverbiale (figuré (au 1er degré, littéralement) (figurative)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Follow the instructions to the letter.

letter card, lettercard

nom féminin (carte mince, pliée en deux) (stationery)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les cartes-lettres servaient de lettre et d'enveloppe.

in reply to your letter, in response to your letter

(à la suite de votre courrier) (written)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
En réponse à votre lettre du 15 avril dernier, je vous informe que votre candidature a été retenue.

the spirit and the letter of the law

(la logique et le sens strict)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les juges s'efforcent de respecter l'esprit et la lettre de la loi.

letter with confirmation of receipt, letter with acknowledgement of receipt

nom féminin (lettre avec accusé de réception)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le directeur envoie une lettre avec AR pour confirmer le licenciement de l'employé.

capital letter

nom féminin (lettre de grande casse)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

circular

nom féminin (courrier adressé à plusieurs personnes)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il envoie la convocation pour la prochaine réunion sous forme de lettre circulaire.

business letter

nom féminin (lettre de nature commerciale)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

cover letter

nom féminin (lettre liée à un envoi)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

love letter

nom féminin (lettre à un être aimé)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

block letter

nom féminin (lettre non liée aux autres)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

newsletter

nom féminin (note, annonce)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Suite au changement de fonctionnement, il adresse une lettre d'information à tous les adhérents.

scathing letter

nom féminin (lettre à propos injurieux)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

letter of intent, comfort letter

nom féminin (sorte de caution) (accounting)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Notre société mère a rédigé une lettre d'intention afin que notre société obtienne son prêt bancaire.

letter of introduction

nom féminin (lettre de présentation) (potential employee)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Je vous remets cette lettre d'introduction qui vous facilitera un entretien avec votre futur directeur.

letter of invitation

nom féminin (lettre pour inviter [qqn])

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

lettre de cachet

nom féminin (missive royale) (letter signed with French royal seal)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

guidelines, written guidelines

nom féminin (directives écrites)

(plural noun: Noun always used in plural form--for example, "jeans," "scissors.")

bill of exchange

nom féminin (moyen de paiement)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le fournisseur sera payé par lettre de change.
The supplier will be paid by bill of exchange.

confirmation letter

nom féminin (lettre confirmant [qch])

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

letter of credit

nom féminin (preuve d'un engagement à payer [qch])

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

engagement letter

nom féminin (note décrivant une mission)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

cover letter

nom féminin (lettre de candidature)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
J'ai reçu trois lettres de motivation à ce jour.
I received three cover letters today.

reference

nom féminin (lettre faisant l'éloge de [qqn]) (candidate)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Le candidat doctorant devra fournir deux lettres de recommandation.
The doctoral candidate will need to provide two references.

reminder letter

nom féminin (lettre redemandant [qch])

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

break-up letter

nom féminin (écrit pour rompre avec [qqn])

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

air waybill

nom féminin (document, contrat de transport)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

encyclical letter

nom féminin (lettre adressée par le Pape) (papal document)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

capital letter, upper-case letter

nom féminin (lettre de plus grande taille) (printing)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La lettre majuscule est une lettre de plus grande taille que les autres lettres (minuscules), qui s'emploie au début d'un mot, soit pour signaler qu'il s'agit d'un nom propre, soit pour marquer le début d'une phrase.
A capital (or: upper-case) letter is a letter that is larger than the others ("lower-case" letters); it is used at the beginning of a word either to indicate that the word is a proper noun or to indicate that the word marks the beginning of a sentence.

clearly printed letter

nom féminin (lettre manuscrite imitant l'impression)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

open letter

nom féminin (lettre rendue publique)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

letter bomb

nom féminin (explosif dans un courrier)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

registered letter

nom féminin (courrier avec assurance d'arriver)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Ce document doit être envoyé en lettre recommandée.
This document must be sent as a registered letter.

registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt

nom féminin (courrier avec preuve de réception)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
J'ai envoyé une lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception à mon propriétaire.

standard letter, sample letter

nom féminin (lettre générique, modèle)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

cheque-letter

nom féminin (lettre et chèque détachable) (UK)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
La lettre-chèque est un moyen de paiement des entreprises.

transfer

nom féminin (caractère reporté par pression)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les décalcomanies sont des lettres-transferts.

postal order, money order, postal money order

nom masculin (mandat encaissable)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Il faut aller dans un bureau de poste pour encaisser un mandat-lettre.

subject of a letter

nom masculin (raison d'un courrier)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

go off without a hitch

locution verbale (familier, figuré (se dérouler très bien)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
J'ai dit à mes parents que j'allais réviser avec Marion et c'est passé comme une lettre à la poste.

letter scale, postal scale

nom masculin (balance pour lettres)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Je pense que cette lettre pèse plus de 20 g, tu devrais vérifier au pèse-lettre.

take at face value

locution verbale (comprendre littéralement)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

go unheeded

verbe intransitif (ne pas avoir de réponse)

further to your letter of + [date]

(en réponse à votre courrier)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Pour faire suite à votre lettre du 5 mai dernier, je vous fais parvenir notre grille tarifaire.

follow to the letter, carry out to the letter

locution verbale (respecter scrupuleusement) (figurative)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
J'ai suivi ses instructions à la lettre.

type a letter

locution verbale (utiliser une machine à écrire)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
Avant l'apparition des ordinateurs, les secrétaires tapaient les lettres à la machine.

Let's learn French

So now that you know more about the meaning of lettres in French, you can learn how to use them through selected examples and how to read them. And remember to learn the related words that we suggest. Our website is constantly updating with new words and new examples so you can look up the meanings of other words you don't know in French.

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French (le français) is a Romance language. Like Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, it comes from popular Latin, once used in the Roman Empire. A French-speaking person or country can be called a "Francophone". French is the official language in 29 countries. French is the fourth most spoken native language in the European Union. French ranks third in the EU, after English and German, and is the second most widely taught language after English. The majority of the world's French-speaking population lives in Africa, with about 141 million Africans from 34 countries and territories who can speak French as a first or second language. French is the second most widely spoken language in Canada, after English, and both are official languages at the federal level. It is the first language of 9.5 million people or 29% and the second language of 2.07 million people or 6% of the entire population of Canada. In contrast to other continents, French has no popularity in Asia. Currently, no country in Asia recognizes French as an official language.